Chapter 32:  Glimpse Into Next Year

            Harry swiftly walked down the corridors, unfaltering.  He needn't think about where he was going, for the churning in Ron's stomach was strong enough for him to feel.  Hesitating a moment, he entered the boys' bathroom.

            Ron was sitting in the farthest corner, squeezed between a sink's piping and the wall.  His head was bent down between his knees and his hands were pulled through his hair.  He didn't look up when Harry entered.  Furrowing his brow, Harry sat next to Ron, looking at him in silence.

            "Ron, I-" he tried to begin, but was interrupted.

            "What's wrong with me, Harry?" Ron whispered, looking up, but not at Harry.

            "Ron, there's nothing wr-"

            "Yes there is," he said firmly, "I know I should help Draco.  I even want to.  But there's something stopping me.  Something inside me just wants to see Draco…die."

            A million thoughts, a million ideas, a million perfect ways to console Ron popped into Harry's head, but not a single one could find its way past the lump of horror his throat.

            "It…it's like a small voice in my head, just telling me over and over that I want to see him dead.  To see him gone, just like Ginny.  It's not that I'm undaunted at the thought of him dying.  It terrifies me, it really does.  But…another part of me…just wants to smile."  Ron took a deep, rattled breath, burying his face in his hands.  "Oh God, Harry…I-I'm evil."

            "No, you're not," Harry said firmly, "I refuse to believe that Ron Weasley could be evil.  Look at your life, Ron!  You're a good person."

            "Yeah," Ron muttered, glaring at the sink, "And everyone thought Tom Riddle was a good person, too."

            "Don't compare yourself with Voldemort," Harry said, as though he was trying to yell and whisper at the same time, "That evil little voice you say you hear, well that's all Voldemort ever hears.  The only feeling he knows is hate, and he could care less if everyone else in the world died.  You are not him!"

            Ron looked at Harry for the first time since the boy had entered.

            "I miss her so much," he whispered, more tears coursing down his already damp face.

            "I know," Harry sighed, putting his arm around his best friend, "I know…"

            Sirius Black stepped back from the door of the boys' bathroom, angrily rubbing the tears from his eyes.  He stared helplessly at the corridor wall, not even startled when Remus Lupin put his hand on his shoulder.  Slowly, they started walking.

            "They're kids, Moony," Sirius whispered, looking back helplessly, "They shouldn't have to go through stuff like this."

            "They're growing up, Padfoot, and the world can be an evil place."

            "They still shouldn't have to go through this!"

            "I know.  No one should have to go through this," Remus sighed, "But perhaps, if their having to suffer prevents the suffering of those to come, then it just might be worth it."

            Sirius shook his head, then smiled slightly.  "Think we could have taken it at their age?"

            Remus gave him an incredulous look.  "Sirius, we probably would have considered ourselves lucky to have it so easy."

            "I don't mean the death.  We were numbed to the death.  But we never had the fate of the world resting on our shoulders."

            Remus smiled.  "Sure acted like it, though, didn't we?"

            "Ah, those were the days.  No problems, no worries, and more practical jokes than we had time to do them.  What ever happened to those days?"

            "We grew up."

            "Shoot.  When did that happen?"

            Remus smiled, shaking his head.

****

            "Why can't we just use phoenix tears?" Hermione asked Dumbledore after Draco's attack had subsided, "They worked for Harry, so why not for Draco?"

            "Life never is as simple as it seems," Dumbledore sighed, "You see, Fawkes was right there with Harry, able to cleanse the poison before it had a chance to travel through his veins.  Draco, however, has been exposed to it for…"

            "At least a half-hour," Azar said with a nod, "But then wouldn't he be…dead?  The way Harry described it, he was close to dying in minutes."

            "Harry had a lot more in him than Draco," Madam Pomfrey said promptly, "It's like the frog in the boiling pot of water.  Harry was placed in immediate danger, and so was quicker to get out.  Draco, however, at first seemed in no danger, but the longer he lingered, the more danger he was in."

            Azar looked helplessly over at Draco.  Snape was sitting by him, looking more than anything like a grieving father.  With a tenderness never seen in the potions teacher, he reached over and brushed the damp hair out of the boy's eyes.

            "I wish there was something we could do," Azar sighed.

            "You can't do something, but I can," Ron said from the door, Harry standing beside him, "I'm ready."

            "Fantastic," Madam Pomfrey said, bustling over to him, "Everybody else out!  We've work to do!"

            Hermione didn't move.  "But-"

            "C'mon, Herm," Azar said gently, putting her arms around both Hermione and Harry's shoulders, "They'll be okay."

            Azar guided them to the door, Hermione still looking over her shoulder at Ron.  He smiled weakly, giving her a small wave.  Suddenly, she pulled out of Azar's grasp and ran into his arms, holding onto him tight.

            "You are such a wonderful person, Ronald Weasley," she smiled, eyes shining.

            Ron's smile became much more encouraging.  He kissed her on the forehead.  "Now go on," he said, "I've got to hurry and save ferret boy."

            She walked out of his embrace, but held onto his hand until it was absolutely necessary for her to let go, her fingertips still reaching for his.  When she got to the door, she smiled and mouthed, "I love you."

            "I love you, too," he said silently.

            When the door closed, he turned slowly toward Madam Pomfrey.  "Okay, let's do this."

****

            "What should we do now?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

            "I don't really feel like going back to my dormitory."

            "Dumbledore's office, then?" Harry suggested, "We don't know how long it's going to take, and that would be the best place to wait."

            "You know, I think I'll just wait outside the hospital door," Hermione said, "But you two go ahead.  I'll be all right."

            In a thoughtful silence, they walked to the office.  Azar had no trouble remembering the password this time.  They opened the door to find Sirius and Remus talking…with Dumbledore?!

            "You?!" Azar gasped, "H…wha… in hospital wing…bu…"

            "Let's just say I know a quicker way to my office, Miss Zundel," Dumbledore said with a smile.

            Azar shook her head.  "I should know better than to be surprised by now."

            Dumbledore motioned for them to have a seat.  "I was wondering, Mr. Potter, if you might shed light on your whereabouts."

            Harry smiled slightly.  "I guess I'll be telling this story a lot tonight.  Well, here goes."

            So while Ron lied in bed, trying to think of everything but the one thing on his mind, the group in the office listened intently as Harry retold the night's events.  He found little trouble letting it come out, until he got to the Hall of Adversity.  Harry had simply skipped this part when talking to Azar.  He didn't know why, but had been too tired to object.  But now he wanted to tell, and couldn't.  His mouth was open, but not a sound would come out.

            "It's okay, Harry," Dumbledore smiled knowingly, "No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to tell.  Just gone on about what happened after the trials."

            Harry nodded, and continued.  He stopped when he got to them landing at Hogwarts, leaving the room in silence a moment.

            "There's one thing that I don't really understand, Professor," Harry said with a knit brow, "Voldemort had a knife.  I didn't even think wizards would have knives."

            "Most don't, Harry.  At least not for that purpose," Dumbledore said gravely, "But all Death Eaters do.  Voldemort is a strong believer in being prepared, whether for defense or suicide."

            "Suicide?  You mean, Death Eaters would use those on themselves?"

            "To avoid being locked up in Azkaban, yes.  The blades are poisoned to ensure a quick, unpreventable death."

            Harry shook his head.  "Why?  How can he have so many followers willing to die for their cause?  It makes no sense."

            "There is no sense to killing, Harry," Dumbledore said, seeming to grow years older in that one moment, "It contains only hate.  That's what we fight when we fight Voldemort.  Sadly, hate can never be vanquished.  But, as long as there are those willing to try, love can't either."

            Harry nodded, looking down in thought.  His attention was caught, however, by Azar.  Her hands were twisting and twisting in her lap, her eyes flitting back and forth across the room.  She looked up at Dumbledore, her eyes questioning.

            "It is up to you," he said softly, smiling at her.

            Then he looked up at the two other men in the room.  Remus realized Dumbledore was looking meaningfully at him.

            "Um, I think we should go, Sirius," Remus said, standing up, "We've got that thing to do."

            "What thing?"

            Remus elbowed him.  "That thing, remember, that's very important and we have to go do right now?"

            "Ohhh…okay.  Harry, I won't be far, so if-"

            Remus pulled Sirius though the office door before he had a chance to stall more.  When they were gone, Dumbledore turned back to Harry and Azar.

            "Well, I should be going, too.  Unless you have anymore questions…"

            "Actually, I do have one more question," Harry said, turning to Azar, "How'd you know where we were, Azar?"

            "Finally!" she exclaimed, relieved, "I was beginning to think you'd never ask!"

            Dumbledore slipped out of the room without their noticing, smiling to himself.

            "I've been busting at the seams to tell you, Harry, but I never knew the right way to say it.  I still don't.  It's just too…bizarre."

            "What?"

            She took a deep breath.  "You know those notes you've been getting?  The anonymous ones that warned you about what was going to happen?  Well…I sent those."

            Harry's eyes bulged.  "What?"

            "I didn't know I was sending them…at first.  It started the summer before I was officially enrolled into Hogwarts, and I found myself in the owlery after my last memory was falling asleep.  I went to Dumbledore, and he seemed to think it might mean I'm a seer.  And if you say "what?" again, I'll hit you."

            Harry smiled, though keeping that in mind.  He knew Azar would more than willingly go through with her word.  "How did he come to that conclusion?" he said instead.

            "If you'd let me talk, I'll tell you," she huffed, "Well, apparently all seers start out like that, not knowing what their doing and just writing it down.  Also, initially seers can only predict things about the person closest to their heart.  That's what was so weird; I hadn't even met you at that time.  I had only just read about you in a few books.  In fact, we weren't even sure who I was writing to until you showed me that note earlier this year.  I didn't remember the note exactly, but when I saw it, it looked so familiar.  Dumbledore agreed that it probably was you I was sending them to.  And then there was the day I came back from Christmas Vacation."

            "Wha-" Harry quickly stopped himself when Azar's gaze turned sharply toward him.  He nodded, holding back a laugh.

            "Well, that was strange indeed.  For the first time, I sent one of the notes without falling asleep.  Well, I zonked out, but I had been wide-awake before then, not in bed.  And I even had the slightest bit of a memory of the dream or whatever; I knew you were all right…  Well, after that, my powers really took flight.  I remembered more and more of my visions, and I was actually able to control what I did after them.  And then with Revero Detinu, I was finally able to have prophecies about people other than you.  The night Draco disappeared, I saw it in my mind, though only him being dragged away, and probably only moments before it actually happened."

            "So how does this explain you coming to mine and Draco's rescue?"

            "I'm getting there.  Golly, have a little patience," she grinned, "Well, tonight when Hermione and I told Dumbledore about your disappearance, we then went down through the fireplace to sleep back there.  I fell asleep surprisingly fast, but now I think it was only me slipping into one of my visions.  I saw myself flying somewhere.  After a long while, I landed and left the broom there.  Then I rushed over to an area, and saw you and Draco huddling under a tree.  Then I woke up because I felt a rush of feelings from you.  It was like you felt everything in one second.  Of course, I know now that was because of the Waning Wizards' War, but it put me in a bit of a panic then.  So I snuck through a secret passage into the halls, went to my dormitory to grab my broom, and then flew right out of the window.  I knew exactly where to go and where to stop, and where to find you.  It was a little strange, but almost completely natural."

            Harry was silent a moment, then a smile gradually spread onto his face.  "So it was you?  You sent me the notes…"

            "Uh, yeah, I thought we had established that."

            Harry shook his head.  "It would have been a lot more helpful if you had been clearer in what you meant."

            "Hey, I had no control over those notes.  I-"

            The office door opened, Sirius looking in.  "They're done," he said, "Draco and Ron are both awake and well.  Thought you'd like t—"

            Harry and Azar flew by him, taking the stairs three-by-three.

            The five friends sat alone in the hospital wing, swapping stories.  The adults had left, though Madam Pomfrey had done so hesitantly.

            "No denying you're blood brothers now," Hermione said with a smile, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

            "Don't remind me," Ron moaned, though more out of exaggeration than anything else, "Me having a connection with him…just horrifying."

            Draco opened his mouth to say something, but thankfully closed it without having uttered a word.

            "I thought discretion was something you had yet to discover," Harry whispered to him.

            "I'm learning," Draco whispered back, "Unlike some people who shall remain nameless."

            Harry shook his head, having serious doubts about being able to keep his sanity the next year.

            "Well, your turn, Draco," Azar said suddenly, "How did you disappear?"

            He sighed, answering quietly, "My dad."

            Draco paused a while, the rest of the friends unsure if he was going to go on.

            "He sent me an owl.  I know I should have ignored the letter.  Torn it, burned it, anything but read it.  But as long as there was the faintest glimmer of hope, I'd snatch at it and not let go.  He wanted to talk with me.  He said he'd left Voldemort's cause, and he knew I had been right all along.  He said he wanted to be a family again.  He sounded so honest, so pleading.  I actually believed a new man had written that note to me.  And so I met him one night, by the Forbidden Forest.  Heh, the secrecy should have been my first clue.  What would a reformed man have to hide?  I went there in my invisibility cloak.  He smiled at me and…and then embraced me…  I couldn't remember the last time he had hugged me… I…"

            Draco paused a moment, shame and sorrow preventing any sound from escaping his lips.  "And then they stepped out," he continued, his voice slightly hoarse, "The two people I had once considered my best friends.  I spotted the tattoos on their arms…two new Death Eaters eager to show off their acquired skills.  The Cruciatus Curse hit me hard.  I tried not to scream, but that didn't stop the pain.  My father just stood over me, smiling…  When they had worn me to exhaustion, Crabbe and Goyle picked me up and started dragging me away.  I tried to fight it, but didn't even have the strength to stand on my own.  My cloak got caught in some tree branches, but they didn't care, just yanking until I blacked out.  The next thing I knew, I woke up to find Harry and Voldemort in that forest."

            Everyone was silent.  Not even Azar had a comment to lighten the mood.

            "Well, one good thing came of tonight," Draco said with a smile, "Think you're so special with that scar, Potter?  Take a look at this."

            He lifted his left hand so his forearm was visible for all to see.  Harry laughed, though whether at the sheer irony or at the triumphant grin on Draco's face, he wasn't sure.  There on the boy's arm was a scar, and though slightly rough and jagged, it was unmistakably shaped like a lightning bolt.

~*~*~

A/N:  I think that chapter 33 will be the end of this year.  Not positive, but pretty sure.  I hope I've answered all your questions, because so many were well founded. (And some of them gave me a time trying to answer.)  Golly, this chapter left me empty.  =P I don't like it.  Oh well.

            Thanks to all my reviewers!!!  I know I've been a while getting this up, so I hope you can forgive me. ^_^

yerbroham:  *laughs*  Thanks!  I'm glad you can understand the occasional weirdness, 'cause sometimes these ideas just hit me, and I'm bad about deleting scenes I put in.  I just recently wrote a scene for fic 7 that is filled with oddity.  But I like it, 'cause it seems to imply character traits. *sigh* Ah, Hagrid.  That's something that has increased my reverance for JKR.  I just can't find room for all the minor characters!  I've decided that Hagrid's been away on "giant business", and I definitely will bring him back more in fic 7, but it's a hard thing to do.  JKR is just amazing with how she can fit everyone in with such perfection.

~meg~:  Thanks!

Harry's girl:  Thanks!

Raven of Death:  *laughs* Okay, okay, he's alive!  Well, for now. *bwa-ha-ha*  Thanks!  And thanks for your comments on my art, too!  I know!  So many people say 'elfin', but I've always thought 'elven'.  You also asked that I "define sixth story?"  I'm writing an 8 book long fantasy series.  I may or may not post a chapter or two of a couple of the books, but never the whole thing.  I just fear for my characters' safety.  I don't want any of them being kidnapped! ^-^

vmr:  Thanks!

sweets:  Thanks!  Yes, our Ronnie is a good guy.  Most of the time.  At least in most cases. ^_^ Whee, I'm gonna have fun with him and Draco in the next fic! ^o^

Katrina Skyfrost:  Yeah, poor Ronnie just is so unsure.  He's getting better, and "fighting it", if you will.  Thanks!

Mina:  Ah, the dreaded "lay" and "lie".  Evil, evil verbs.  I've always thought, though, that people lie and objects lay.  But I definitely wouldn't bet on it.  The difference between those has never really been clear to me…  But I definitely don't mind you being nitpicky about grammar.  I'm the same way about punctuation.  I'm reading The Great Gatsby right now, and it's driving me nuts because he leaves out so many commas! *cough* Yeah, I'm odd.  Thanks!

Roselyn Riddle:  Thanks!

DOVE:  Thanks!

Minerva401:  Cliffies are a writer's best friend. ^-^  Hope this chapter answered your question.  Thanks!

Sombra De Severus:  *grins* Thanks!

~*Kelly*~:  An Allison review from Kelly. ^-^  Yah!  Thanks!  And get your stories up!  I don't care how grounded you are! ^_^ I never liked Draco either, until I started writing about him. *shrug* Go figure.

Paul9:  Thanks! *blushes* No, of course I wouldn't want you to die!

JeezieParcheezie:  Okay, I'll try!  And I'll email when I have the next chapter up, so you don't need to worry about checking back. (Though knowing my memory… ^-^)  Thanks!

            Thank you all!  I'd write more, but I'm trying to watch Jurassic Park at the same time, and having a T-rex roaring in your ear is definitely a distraction.

            Be excellent to each other!

            -Ady